How to Buy a Havapoo Puppy in the United States | PetzLover

What is a Havapoo, and how big will it get?

PetMD describes the Havapoo as a mix of the Havanese, the only native Cuban breed, and the Poodle, the national dog of France. Size is the first thing the pairing decides. The Havanese parent is fairly consistent; the Poodle can be a Toy or a Miniature, and that choice moves the range.

Ask how tall and heavy both parents are; a breeder should know. PetMD expects a Havapoo's lifespan to fall within its parents' ranges, 14 to 16 years for the Havanese and 10 to 18 for Poodles. Both parents are companion breeds, and PetMD warns that a bored, lonely Havapoo with energy to burn is more likely to develop separation anxiety, so it suits a home where someone is around much of the day.

Which health tests should a Havapoo's parents have?

A cross has no health list of its own, so use each parent's club list and look the results up in the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) database by registered name.

PRA-prcd is an inherited form of progressive retinal atrophy that ends in blindness. The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory says a dog needs two copies of the mutation to be affected, so a Poodle parent tested clear means no puppy can be affected by this form. PetMD lists progressive retinal atrophy, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, slipping kneecaps and gum disease for the Havapoo, and the first three appear in both parent breeds.

What does each parent bring to a Havapoo's legs?

Both sides carry a short-leg question. A 2020 study of 355 Havanese in Norway (Bellamy and Lingaas) found almost all carried two copies of a gene variant linked to short legs, and cites a US survey in which 44% of Havanese owners reported bowed, shortened or uneven forelegs. With a frequency that high, a Havanese parent is very likely to pass one copy on.

On the Poodle side, the Poodle Club of America Foundation strongly recommends a DNA test for Miniature Poodle dwarfism (osteochondrodysplasia) and says research suggests about 10 percent of Miniatures carry it. Ask whether a Miniature parent was tested, watch both parents walk and trot, and ask whether earlier puppies had limping or bowed legs.

How much grooming does a Havapoo coat need?

The Havanese has a long, silky, wavy double coat under its AKC standard, and the Poodle a dense, curly one, so a Havapoo coat can land anywhere between. PetMD says the coat needs daily care to keep it free of mats, plus regular trips to the groomer, and that shedding is light. Spot Pet Insurance puts a professional groom for a Havanese at $50 to $100 a session, and Whole Dog Journal puts a Poodle groom at about $50 to $200.

Light shedding is not the same as hypoallergenic. PetMD says there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog, so anyone with allergies should spend time with the parents and adult Havapoos before committing.

Where should you look for Havapoo puppies for sale?

• Home breeders who own the mother, raise the litter indoors and can show both parents' results. A cross has no AKC parent club or referral list, so you do every check yourself.
• Classified listings. Browse Havapoo puppies for sale, filter by your state and save the search to get alerts about new litters.
• Shelters and rescues. Havapoos turn up in shelters and all-breed rescues; see how to adopt a Havapoo.
• Pet stores. Several states, including California, Illinois, Maryland and New York, bar pet stores from selling puppies from breeders.

Some breeders offer certificates from private hybrid or designer-dog registries. Those papers are not AKC registration and say nothing about health, so do not pay extra for them. A spayed or neutered Havapoo can still join AKC sports through the Canine Partners program.

How much does a Havapoo puppy cost?

Adopt a Pet puts a Havapoo from a breeder at typically $800 to $1,800 or more. Pay for tested parents and a written guarantee, not for a smaller size or a rare color.

What should you check at the visit and put in the contract?

• Meet the puppy with its mother at the breeder's home, and see the father's photos and results.
• Ask which parent is the Poodle, which size it is, and whether this is a first cross or a litter from two Havapoos; with two purebred parents you can check each against its club's tests.
• Look for clear eyes, clean ears, a puppy that hears you behind it and moves without skipping.
• Sign a contract with both parents' names and results, a health guarantee, spay or neuter terms and a promise to take the dog back.
• Collect the vet record and microchip number, and book your own vet exam within days.

About 22 states have puppy lemon laws; in California, for example, covered breeders must offer a remedy if a vet certifies an illness within 15 days or a hereditary condition within one year. The FTC warns about deposits by gift card, wire, cryptocurrency or payment app, so ask your questions through PetzLover's messages and never pay before you visit. Sellers can read how to sell Havapoo puppies, and if you would rather skip the puppy stage, see taking in a rehomed Havapoo.